While the planet's fever, measured as a 1.09°C rise in global temperature, might sound modest, its accelerating symptoms—from vanishing ice and rising seas to intensifying storms—tell a more alarming story of climate change unfolding in real-time.
Key Takeaways
- Global surface temperature has risen by about 1.09°C (range: 0.95 to 1.20°C) from 1850–1900 to 2011–2020
- The decade 2011-2020 was likely the hottest decade on record, with global mean near-surface temperature 0.99°C [0.84-1.10°C] higher than 1850-1900
- Human-induced warming reached approximately 1°C (likely between 0.8°C and 1.3°C) above pre-industrial levels in 2017, increasing at 0.2°C (0.1-0.3°C) per decade
- Global mean sea level rose by 0.20 [0.15 to 0.25] m from 1901 to 2018
- Global mean sea level has risen by 21–24 cm since 1880, accelerating to 3.7 mm per year from 2006–2018
- Sea level rise rate is 3.7 mm/year (2006-2015), compared to 1.4 mm/year (20th century)
- Greenland Ice Sheet lost 4890 Gt of ice since 1992, contributing 13.5 mm to sea level rise
- Antarctic Ice Sheet mass balance was -2670 ± 460 Gt from 1992-2020
- Arctic sea ice extent minimum in September averaged 4.11 million km² in 2010-2019, 40% less than 1979-1988
- Frequency of heatwaves has increased fivefold since the 1950s
- Proportion of intense tropical cyclones increased by 7% per decade since 1980
- Heavy precipitation events increased in frequency and intensity over most land areas since 1950
- Atmospheric CO2 concentration reached 419.3 ppm in May 2023
- Human activities emitted 59 GtCO2e in 2019
- CO2 levels rose from 278 ppm pre-industrial to 410 ppm in 2019
Human activity has caused record-breaking global warming with severe consequences.
Atmospheric Temperature Changes
1Global surface temperature has risen by about 1.09°C (range: 0.95 to 1.20°C) from 1850–1900 to 2011–2020
Verified2The decade 2011-2020 was likely the hottest decade on record, with global mean near-surface temperature 0.99°C [0.84-1.10°C] higher than 1850-1900
Verified3Human-induced warming reached approximately 1°C (likely between 0.8°C and 1.3°C) above pre-industrial levels in 2017, increasing at 0.2°C (0.1-0.3°C) per decade
Verified4Earth's average surface temperature in 2023 was the warmest on record, at 1.18°C above the 20th-century average
Directional5Since 1880, average global temperatures have increased by 1.1 degrees Celsius
Single source6The rate of global temperature rise has nearly doubled since 1981, reaching 0.36°F (0.20°C) per decade since 1982
Verified72023 saw global average temperature 2.12°F (1.18°C) above the 20th-century average
Verified8Northern Hemisphere spring snow cover has decreased at a rate of 1.0–2.6% per decade from 1967-2022
Verified9Global land and ocean surface temperature for 2023 was 0.27°F (0.15°C) above 2022 and 2.43°F (1.35°C) above the 20th-century average
Directional10Warming over land is 1.59 [1.34 to 1.83] times greater than over the ocean since 1850-1900
Single source11Arctic amplification has increased Arctic temperatures 3.8 times faster than global average since 1979
Verified12Global tropospheric temperature has warmed by 0.80°C from 1979 to 2021 at a rate of 0.19°C per decade
Verified13Ocean heat content in the upper 2000m increased by 436 ± 9 ZJ from 1971-2018
Verified14Global temperature has risen by about 1.09°C (range: 0.95 to 1.20°C) from 1850–1900 to 2011–2020
Directional15The warming rate since 1981 is 0.20°C per decade (likely range 0.16 to 0.24°C)
Single source162023 was 0.15 ± 0.10°C warmer than any other year since 1850
Verified17Tropospheric temperatures warmed 0.87°C (1979-2022) per RSS data
Verified18UAH satellite data shows +0.14°C/decade tropospheric warming (1979-2023)
Verified19Ocean-only temperature rise 0.73°C (1901-2020)
Directional20Land temperature anomaly +1.72°C above 1850-1900 (2011-2020)
Single source21Coldest year since 1850 was 1904, warmest 2023 with +1.48°C anomaly
Verified22Global mean surface air temperature for Dec 2023-Jan 2024 was +1.40°C above 1991-2020
Verified23Sea surface temperatures reached record 20.97°C global average in 2023
VerifiedAtmospheric Temperature Changes Interpretation
We've taken Earth's fever from a gentle whisper to a shouting siren, with every vital sign—from the scorching land to the feverish seas—showing our patient is running hot and the rate is alarmingly accelerating.
Cryosphere
1Greenland Ice Sheet lost 4890 Gt of ice since 1992, contributing 13.5 mm to sea level rise
Verified2Antarctic Ice Sheet mass balance was -2670 ± 460 Gt from 1992-2020
Verified3Arctic sea ice extent minimum in September averaged 4.11 million km² in 2010-2019, 40% less than 1979-1988
Verified4Glacier mass loss worldwide was 219 ± 32 Gt/yr for 2015-2019
Directional5Spring snow cover in Northern Hemisphere declined by 3.3% per decade (1922-2016)
Single source6Permafrost temperature at 20m depth warmed by 0.29 ± 0.12°C per decade (1980-2016)
Verified7Antarctic sea ice extent peaked at 20.14 million km² in 2014 but declined 12% per decade since 1979
Verified8Glacier retreat: 92% of glaciers monitored worldwide are in retreat
Verified9Arctic sea ice volume declined 78% from 1979-2018
Directional10Snow water equivalent in Northern Hemisphere decreased 9% from 1981-2020
Single source11Thawing permafrost released 1.7 Gt C per year (2000-2009)
Verified12Mass loss from ice sheets and glaciers was 21 ± 1.9 mm/yr sea level equivalent (2015-2019)
Verified13Alpine glaciers lost 9% of area since 2000
Verified14Greenland ice mass loss 1992-2020: 4890 Gt, SLR 13.5 mm
Directional15Antarctic ice mass loss 1992-2020: 2670 Gt, SLR 7.4 mm
Single source16Glacier mass loss 2000-2019: 21,000 Gt globally
Verified17Arctic sea ice minimum extent 2023: 4.23 million km², 1.27 million km² below 1981-2010 average
Verified18Antarctic sea ice extent 2023 minimum: record low 1.91 million km²
Verified19Permafrost carbon stocks: 1300-1600 GtC
Directional20Glacier volume loss 47% since Little Ice Age maximum
Single source21Himalayan glaciers thinning 0.66 m/yr (2000-2016)
Verified22Eurasian permafrost thaw: 38% by 2100 under high emissions
Verified23Sea ice thickness Arctic declined 1.3 m (1975-2012)
VerifiedCryosphere Interpretation
The planet's icy vaults are bleeding billions of tons, the white landscapes that once reflected the sun's heat are shrinking into memory, and the very ground that was permanently frozen is now coughing up ancient carbon, all while we calmly measure our own undoing in millimeters and percentages.
Extreme Weather and Events
1Frequency of heatwaves has increased fivefold since the 1950s
Verified2Proportion of intense tropical cyclones increased by 7% per decade since 1980
Verified3Heavy precipitation events increased in frequency and intensity over most land areas since 1950
Verified4Agricultural and ecological droughts have increased since 1950, especially in Mediterranean
Directional5Number of weather-related disasters rose from 7117 (1980-1999) to 15,965 (2000-2019)
Single source6Compound hot and dry extremes increased in 56% of global land area (1950-2019)
Verified7Intensity of heavy-precipitation events increased 7% in the US (1960-2020)
Verified8Category 4-5 hurricanes doubled since 1970
Verified9Wildfires burned 7.0 million acres in 2023 in the US, above average
Directional10Flood events increased 1.5 times in Europe (1980-2021)
Single source11Heatwave duration increased by 46% globally (1979-2020)
Verified12Tornado intensity has increased, with EF4+ tornadoes up 10% since 1950
Verified13Global economic losses from weather disasters reached $155 billion in 2022
Verified14Number of Category 3+ tropical cyclones doubled from 1970-2020
Directional15US billion-dollar disasters: 28 in 2023, total 337 since 1980
Single source16Global drought area affected increased 29% since 2000
Verified17Heat-related mortality increased 50% in Europe 1980-2016
Verified18Hurricane Ian 2022: $112.9 billion damages
Verified19Australian bushfires 2019-2020: 18.6 million hectares burned
Directional20European floods 2021: 220 deaths, €43 billion damage
Single source21Intensity of rainfall events up 12% per °C warming
Verified22Number of record high temperature days tripled since 1950
Verified23Pacific typhoons: super typhoons 10% more frequent
VerifiedExtreme Weather and Events Interpretation
Nature's invoice is arriving with alarming frequency, and the fine print is now written in fire, flood, and storm.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Concentrations
1Atmospheric CO2 concentration reached 419.3 ppm in May 2023
Verified2Human activities emitted 59 GtCO2e in 2019
Verified3CO2 levels rose from 278 ppm pre-industrial to 410 ppm in 2019
Verified4Methane concentration increased to 1866 ppb in 2019, 162% of pre-industrial
Directional5Global fossil CO2 emissions were 36.8 GtCO2 in 2022
Single source6N2O concentration reached 332 ppb in 2019, 123% of pre-industrial
Verified7Cumulative CO2 emissions from 1850-2019: 2390 ± 240 GtCO2
Verified8Energy-related CO2 emissions grew 1.1% in 2023 to 37.4 GtCO2
Verified9Deforestation emitted 1.5 GtCO2 per year (2001-2020)
Directional10Fluorinated gases increased 46% since 1990
Single source11US emitted 4798 MtCO2e in 2021
Verified12China CO2 emissions: 11.9 Gt in 2022
Verified13Radiative forcing from well-mixed GHGs was 3.24 [2.96 to 3.50] W m⁻² in 2019
Verified14Global CO2 emissions 37 Gt in 2023, 1.1% increase
Directional15CH4 emissions 375 Mt/yr (2000-2018)
Single source16Cumulative anthropogenic CO2 2400 Gt since 1750
Verified17EU ETS emissions down 47% since 2005 peak
Verified18Aviation CO2 2.5% of global total, 1 GtCO2 2019
Verified19Cement production 8% global CO2, 2.3 Gt/yr
Directional20Land use change emissions -4.7 GtCO2/yr average 2010-2019
Single source21HFCs phasedown: 98% reduction by 2050 under Kigali
Verified22India emissions 2.8 GtCO2 2022
Verified23Global growth rate CO2 2.6 ppm/yr (2015-2024)
VerifiedGreenhouse Gas Emissions and Concentrations Interpretation
We're throwing a party for the planet with our industrial exhaust, and the guest of honor, at 419 ppm, is a heat-trapping blanket we can't seem to stop knitting.
Ocean and Sea Level Rise
1Global mean sea level rose by 0.20 [0.15 to 0.25] m from 1901 to 2018
Verified2Global mean sea level has risen by 21–24 cm since 1880, accelerating to 3.7 mm per year from 2006–2018
Verified3Sea level rise rate is 3.7 mm/year (2006-2015), compared to 1.4 mm/year (20th century)
Verified4Global sea level rose at an average rate of 4.62 mm/yr from 2013-2022
Directional5Thermosteric sea level rise contributed 1.6 mm/yr (2006-2018)
Single source6Mass loss from glaciers contributed 48 ± 10 Gt/yr to sea level rise (2012–2016)
Verified7Greenland Ice Sheet mass loss was 169 ± 61 Gt/yr (1992–2020)
Verified8Antarctic Ice Sheet mass loss increased from 105 Gt/yr (1992–1996) to 372 Gt/yr (2016–2020)
Verified9Ocean acidification has increased by 26% since the beginning of the industrial revolution
Directional10Global mean sea surface temperature increased by 0.88°C [0.68–1.01°C] from 1850–1900 to 2011–2020
Single source11Argo floats show ocean heat content increase of 0.10 ± 0.07 W m⁻² (2006–2018)
Verified12Coral reefs have lost ~14% of area since 2009 due to bleaching
Verified13pH of ocean surface waters decreased by 0.1 units since pre-industrial times
Verified14Sea level at Miami has risen 3 inches per decade since 2006
Directional15Global sea level rise projected to be 0.28–0.55 m by 2100 under low emissions (SSP1-1.9)
Single source16Ocean oxygen content decreased by 0.5 to 3.3% from 1970-2010
Verified17Global mean sea level change 1900-2020: +0.20 m (range 0.15-0.25 m), accelerating to 4.62 mm/yr (2013-2022)
Verified18Tide gauge data shows 1.5 mm/yr rise 1901-1990, 3.3 mm/yr 1993-2022 satellite altimetry
Verified19Glacial isostatic adjustment contributes -0.3 mm/yr to sea level rise
Directional20West Antarctic ice streams contribute 0.4 mm/yr sea level rise
Single source21Ocean thermal expansion: 50% of sea level rise since 1971
Verified22Gulf of Mexico sea level rise 17 mm/yr (2006-2010)
Verified23Pacific islands sea level rise 10 mm/yr in places like Kiribati
Verified24Arctic ocean salinity decreased 0.05 psu per decade (1970-2017)
Directional25Marine heatwaves increased from 0.8% (1979-1998) to 4.4% (1999-2017) of ocean area
Single source26Upper ocean (700m) heat content +0.4°C since 1969
Verified27Full-depth ocean heat gain 0.83 W/m² (1971-2018)
VerifiedOcean and Sea Level Rise Interpretation
Our oceans are swelling with the undeniable receipts of our planetary binge, turning up the heat and acid while quietly plotting the submergence of our coastal delusions at an ever-quickening pace.
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